Harry Redknapp has re-entered football with a splash after agreeing to manage Jordan for two World Cup qualifiers while also mentoring Darren Wassall, the head coach at Derby County.

Redknapp will take the Jordan hotseat for their qualifiers against Bangladesh and Australia this month, saying he was doing it as a favour to the Fifa presidential candidate Prince Ali bin al-Hussein.

“It’s going to be a tough couple of weeks, that’s for sure,” Redknapp told The Sun. “I’m friends with Prince Ali and wanted him to take over from Sepp Blatter. He asked me if I’d manage the team for a couple of matches, and I agreed.”

The 69-year-old former Spurs manager will meanwhile start work with Wassall this week as he prepares for the derby at home against Nottingham Forest on Saturday which is a 12.30pm kick-off.

Derby confirmed on Wednesday Redknapp’s appointment as a “football adviser”. Wassall, who was previously the academy director, took over after Paul Clement was sacked in February.

Redknapp said: “I’ll go to the Forest game and then go straight to London and fly to Jordan. It’s a busy time but I’ve missed the buzz of being involved in football.”

Jordan are second in their qualifying group behind Australia with the top two going through to the next round.